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Doctors Will Push
To Vaccinate Kids
For Sexual Disease

By

Laura LandroStaff Reporter of THE WALL STREET JOURNAL

Updated Nov. 30, 2005 12:01 a.m. ET

With sexually transmitted diseases on the rise among teens, a majority of pediatricians in a survey say they intend to recommend a new vaccine for children as young as nine to protect against a virus linked to cervical cancer. But the doctors admit their biggest concern is getting parents to face up to the threat of STDs -- and convincing them of the benefits of protecting children, especially before they reach puberty.

Vaccines to prevent cervical cancer and genital warts, which are caused by the human papilloma virus, are...